Some applications call for imaging the GI tract from within the GI tract.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,409, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes an endoscopic apparatus which advances within a lumen. The apparatus includes a probe having distal and proximal ends and a flexible sleeve coupled proximally to the probe. The sleeve is inflated in order to propel the probe within the lumen. The probe typically includes an imaging device, which captures images inside the lumen.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,056,283, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes an endoscopic apparatus, including a probe having an anterior component and a posterior component, and a flexible dual-sleeved tube. The flexible dual-sleeved tube consists of a flexible external sleeve and a flexible internal sleeve within the external sleeve. The sleeves are coupled between the anterior component and the posterior component so as to define an enclosure between the sleeves, which enclosure is inflated in order to propel the anterior component within a lumen.